Letting Go or Holding On
by Ma'ane'i No Ke Aloha
Summary: Broken hearts, memories fading into the distance, and a surprise that no one knew.
1. Chapter 1

**This is my first CSI: Miami fanfiction. I know this chapter is rather confusing and also really short, but it's only the prologue and everything will be explain. Hope you like it, please review.

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**Prologue**

She could hear footsteps behind the door.

It's the only sound she hears these days.

It's so quiet now.

Sometimes, she imagines she's still back home. Sometimes, for just a few seconds, when she wakes up, she can actually believe that nothing ever happened.

She remembers when they first brought her here. They didn't give her time to think about it. Despite her protestation and her cries, they simply pushed her in and left her alone. Her heart heavier than it had ever been, she watched as they closed the heavy metal door. Little did she know that this would be her new "home". She's been here for about 5 years now. Sometimes she wonders if it would've made a difference if she had known how long she would be stuck there.

Closing her eyes, she runs her fingers over the rough wall.

SheI doesn't feel the change of time. Time is meaningless here, now that they took away the only thing that was keeping her sane.

She's not in such bad shape, really.

Often she thinks of him, Eric. Every time it brings an ache to her heart, even after all these years. Sometimes, she wonders if he aches as she does. Sometimes she wonders if he remembers her at all.

Sometimes, she closes her eyes and pretends that she's back home, that she's that girl again.

Sometimes...sometimes, it hurts to live.


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry for the delay, I've been really busy. I'll try to update more often (reviews help me write faster).

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**Chapter 1**

Five years had passed since the day she had disappeared, the first day of the worst days of his life. It had been a long time since he had felt real happiness; five years actually. It hardly seemed possible that at one time he had been utterly happy, his life had once been so full of joy and hope. But all that went away when she died.

Memories of her, his beloved Calleigh, still haunted him, even five years after her death.

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They had been called to yet another crime scene, on the beach.

"Frank, what do we have?" Horatio asked.

"His name is Eddie Rikkins. A couple, Anna Layman and Anthony Richards, found him . They were taking a walk on the beach when they saw him lying here. They're over there."

Horatio looked at the two people Frank had pointed at. A young woman, in her mid-twenties was clutching to a dark-haired man. She was obviously shocked.

He then turned to ME crouching over the body. "So Alexx? What do we have?"

"Single gunshot wound in the head." She noted "I'll tell you more after the autopsy"

"Thanks Alexx. Ryan?" He asked the younger man.

"I took pictures of the surroundings. We should be able to work on them at the lab. But as for the footprints, it was impossible to get a proper one on the sand, besides, hundreds of people walk on the beach each day." Horatio nodded.

"H, you should come here." Eric called from the small abandonned househe had went to check out a few feet away.

Hearing the urgency in his CSI's voice, Horatio hurried towards him. When he entered the room, he found Eric kneeling in front of a little girl obviously terrified.


	3. Chapter 3

_I'm sorry for the long wait, I'll try to have the next one ready soon. Thanks to the people who reviewed. I hope you keep reading and reviewing_.

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**Chapter 2**

"What's your name sweetheart?" asked Horatio.

But the little girl only stared at him with her big green eyes, without saying a word.

"Let's bring her back to the lab, we'll see if we can find out who she is."

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She was all alone. But it didn't matter anymore. She was done fighting. She wasn't going to pretend that she was going to make it out of there alive.

For the first time in a long time she cried.

She cried for everything she lost. She cried for everything she wouldn't get to see. She cried for everyone she loved. Especially... them, the two people she loved most in this world.

For so long she had had to stay strong.

The reality of her fate hit her hard and her body quivered. She was feeling the loss and the pain in a way she hadn't felt in a long time.

Before she had a purpose, but now... Now it was over. There was nothing left to fight for.

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When they arrived at the lab, Horatio tried again to make the child talk, but she was still not talking. So they decided to draw some blood and try to find a DNA match in the database.

The team was gathered in trace, processing the evidence from the crime scene, while the little girl was staying with a woman from child services, when Valera entered the room.

"I found a match."


	4. Chapter 4

_Here's the next chapter, I know I already posted one earlier, but I wanted to add this one since they are not very long. I hope this chapter answers some of your questions. Please review._**

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**Chapter 3**

"I found a match."

"What did you finf miss Valera"asked Horatio.

"According to the database,the child's DNA matches Eric's."

"What?" Eric stood up. "This is impossible, this chile is about 4 or 5 years old. There is no way she is mine. I haven't... Not since..."

"Calleigh?" Ryan asked knowingly.

Not really surprised by this, Eric nodded. Neither he nor Calleigh had ever told anyone anout their relationship, but he'd always suspected everyone to know more than they let on. And besides, after Calleigh's disappearance, they could all see how distraught he was.

"This child can't be mine, it's no pos.."

"It matches Calleigh's DNA too!" Valera added before Eric could say anything more. "That little girl is yours and Calleigh's daughter."

"But.." They were all confused.

"If this is real, it means that Calleigh was alive long enough to at least give birth to her."

"Boss, do you think she might..." Ryan started, "Do you think there's a chance she's still..."

"I dont know Mr Wolfe, but we need to get this little girl to start talking."

"I have an idea" Alexx who had been there to talk about her finding on the body, said and left the room.


	5. Chapter 5

_Thanks to those of you who reviewed. _

_This chapter is really short but the next one will be up soon._

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**Chapter 4**

The pain never went away, it became a dull ache. Even after five years he still missed her. He had never been able to move on.

And now... Now he had a daughter. They had a daughter.

He'd always wanted children, but after Calleigh went missing, he thought he'd never have them, not without her.

And now he was a father.

He had a daughter.

He couldn't wrap his mind around the idea. It seemed so strange.

One minute he was still grieving for the only woman he had ever really loved, and the next he was the father of a little girl.

And everything they thought they knew about Calleigh's "death" was wrong. She had still been alive at least long enough to give birth to the child.

The Child. What was her name? What was she doing on that beach? What had she gone through?

So many questions that still needed answers.


End file.
